Fall outing

I took a week-long trip to visit my parents who are doing a semester sabbatical in Washington, DC this fall. My brother Barnabas is at college in Maryland, less than 2 hours from DC, so I got to see him on two occasions. And my sister, Polly, back from her year of teaching in Indonesia, is living in DC doing a teaching fellowship in DC public schools. I spent a night at her apartment and an exciting morning at the Department of Motor Vehicles with her. OK, just kidding, but when you see family as rarely as I do, any time together is precious, even if it's in a long line and an awkward waiting room.

I took extensive walks around Capitol Hill with my parents and with my friend Maggie who came to spend a day with me. The Capitol Building, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Tidal Basin, the Washington Memorial, the botanic gardens, and much more. I was impressed with the beautiful architecture of the homes and historic buildings in DC and I was, as always, amazed by the cleanliness of the streets and yards. But more than any of the monuments and fountains, I wanted to see fall foliage. Nowhere can beat New England in autumn, but Rock Creek Park did its best.






And the best part, better than walking through an impressive city or hiking through a forest, was just being with my family. Sharing stories and news, excitements and disappointments, laughing and encouraging, reminiscing and planning. I am blessed.